Important Notes on Laylatul-Qadr

Does the Night of Decree come on a fixed night every year or moves through the last ten nights?

The scholars differ in regard to this. The correct opinion, however, is that it moves from year to year through the last ten nights. So it may be on the twenty-first in a year; twenty-ninth in another year; twenty-fifth night in another year and twenty-forth night in another year and so on. This is because it is not possible to reconcile all the ahaadeeth reported concerning it except by adopting this view. And the wisdom behind the fact that it moves is that if it were to be on a specific night, a lazy person will not perform prayer except on that night. However, if it moves then each night becomes the likely night in which Laylatul-Qadr will occur thereby making a person to observe prayer throughout the last ten nights.

Signs of Laylatul Qadr

The Night of Decree or Majesty has signs that are associated with it and signs that will occur after the night ends. As regards the signs that are associated with it, they are:

1.      There will be intense illumination and light on this night. Presently, this sign can only be perceived by someone in a land far away from lights.

2.      There will be excess light on that night.

3.      A believer will have tranquility of heart and expansion of breast. He will find comfort, tranquility and expansion of breast that night more that the way he experiences it during other nights.

4.      The wind on this night will be serene. Meaning that there will be no violent wind or thunder therein. Rather, the weather will be suitable.

5.      Allaah may show a person the night in the dream just as it occurred to some of the Prophet’s companions.

6.      A person will find pleasure in praying on this night more than the rest nights.

As regards the signs that occur after the night ends, one of them is that the sun will rise on the following morning white without rays contrary to its usual way at other times.

What are the odd nights of the last ten nights of Ramadaan?

They are twenty-first, twenty-third, twenty-fifth, twenty-seventh and twenty-ninth. These are the five nights that it is more likely to be. But this does not mean that it cannot occur except on the odd nights; rather it can occur on the odd nights and other than it.

Source: al-Jaami’ li Ahkaam Fiqh as-Sunnah, vol. 2, pp. 290 and 292 by Shaykh Muhammad Saalih al-Uthaymeen (may Allaah have mercy on him)